While front-line health care workers in Florida started to receive COVID-19 vaccinations Monday, it may be a little but longer before long-term care residents begin getting their vaccinations.

What You Need To Know

  • Residents and staff at long-term care facilities must sign consent forms before being vaccinated

  • FDOH wants all the paperwork finished before a strike team is sent to a facility

  • Vaccinations in long-term care facilities could begin at the end of the week, per FDOH

At a news conference at Tampa General Hospital on Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis said Florida will receive about 20,000 more doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday. They’ll be used as part of the state’s new pilot program to vaccinate those in long-term care settings.

But, according to the Florida Department of Health, those efforts likely won’t start immediately because residents and staff must first sign consent forms.

“Part of the challenge with this is the large administrative task of getting the consent of those who will be vaccinated,” FDOH spokesperson Tom Iovino said.

Iovino said that process couldn’t begin until the Pfizer vaccine was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA and the accompanying fact sheet was made available. The fact sheet includes information about what’s in the vaccine and the potential side effects. Those getting the vaccine must acknowledge they received that information when giving their consent. It’s something that could take more time if a resident isn’t capable of signing themselves, and a health care proxy needs to be located.

Iovino said all of the paperwork is necessary to determine exactly how many people will be vaccinated at a facility before a strike team can be sent out.

Previous Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccine

“It’s a very limited shelf life on this, and we don’t want to waste any doses,” Iovino said, adding the first vaccinations in facilities could begin Wednesday or Thursday. 

FHCA spokesperson Kristen Knapp said facilities are working hard to get consent forms taken care of, not only those from the FDOH for the pilot program, but also from CVS and Walgreens, the pharmacies that will be handling the majority of LTC vaccinations as part of a federal partnership.

“Well, we’re thinking that we’re going to be able to start vaccinating by the end of the week,” Knapp said.  “And we’re all working to meet that goal.”